This building and the acreage surrounding it have been witness to over 350 years of American history. From the beginning of European settlement in the early 17th century, when it was a bountiful place full of natural resources to the 21st century, bustling city that now exists, it has evolved and survived.

The Cary family lived here from the 1760s until the beginning of the 20th century. Their home, known lovingly as “the Retreat”, was a bucolic oasis remembered fondly by both family and friends alike.

For nearly a century, the Governor Bellingham ~ Cary House Association has cared for this singular piece of our nation’s history. Registered as a National Landmark property, numerous preservation and conservation grants have helped to preserve both the building and its contents to serve as a window to the past for the over 1,000 people, including Chelsea school children, who visit here every year.